Sushigate: Jeremy Piven Leaves Show Due to Fishy Mercury Poisoning
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden 
on 12.21.08
Photo Marshall Astor @ flickr.
Two "facts" are repeated endlessly in the Internet-based news stories about Jeremy Piven, the celebrity and actor who left the David Mamet production "Speed the Plow" due to his doctor's report that he had exceedingly high levels of mercury in his blood and possible mercury toxicity. The first "fact" is that Piven got high mercury levels from recently eating too much sushi and unnamed Chinese herbs. He reportedly experienced extreme fatigue, heaviness in his limbs, dizziness and neuro-muscular dysfunction. The second "fact" given in most stories is that Mamet spoke to the actor after he had left the show and then pronounced that Piven was "leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer." Ha ha.
Thermometers the least of our mercury problems
Mamet's statement was funny, but mercury toxicity is no joke. Undoubtedly, Piven's alleged (two-meal-per-day) sushi habit could have pushed his organic mercury levels up, experts say. It's absurd, however, for multitudes of stories to focus so heavily on "sushi abuse" when we are all exposed to and ingesting mercury, both organic and inorganic, from multiple environmental sources, including the mercury amalgams in our teeth. And it's even more absurd that as Piven's and other cases of real mercury poisoning come to light, FDA is considering removing some of its mercury warnings for pregnant women and children regarding fish consumption. (By the way, the EPA thinks the FDA is absurd, too).
Mercury poisoning prevalent
According to Mercury Policy Project, both mercury-contaminated seafood, and people eating enough to show poisoning effects, are becoming common. So why is the FDA considering removing mercury warnings from seafood - including swordfish, tilefish, and tuna? Simply because the FDA believes the health benefits of fish outweigh the dangers of mercury ingestion.
Facts about mercury we all should know
According to Dr. Jane Hightower, author of Diagnosis: Mercury Money Politics and Poison we do have to worry about fish, and either keep within limits (2 fish meals per week), and/or concentrate on the least contaminated (generally smaller fish) species. We also need to take into account coal-burning power plants, mining, waste incinerators, hospital crematoria, cement factories, thimerosol, chemical plants, fungicides, chlor-alkali plants, mercury amalgams, switches, gauges, CFLs, and of all things, shipwrecks contributing mercury pollution to our planet.
To keep mercury toxicity from sushi (or other fish abuse) at bay, go to the web-based calculator to see whether your next meal is low, medium, or high on the toxicity scale. In addition, you can read about the Zero Mercury Campaign and efforts to create a UNEP framework for reducing humans exposure to mercury. Though many in the showbiz industry doubt that Piven truly suffered from mercury toxicity, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt -and no more seafood for some weeks to come! Via: Ecorazzi
author note: Mamet's quote was corrected above and linked to NYT source.
Read more
Mother Jones Takes on Toxic Tuna
What About Mercury From Compact Fluorescents?
Mercury Pollution Rising
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This is a bit worrying for us who eat a lot of fish. I guess in about 10 years time we can only eat specially bred fish and all ocean fish will be toxic:(
Coal is the biggest exposure by far.
There are many cases of toxicity in China from coal-drying foods and spices (peppers especially). In those cases it is a combination of arsenic, lead, mercury, and especially fluorides.
Coal.
Iv never liked sushi, but I do like fish and chips.... hmm could this effect me?
Don't forget to see this in regards to Mr. Piven:
http://gawker.com/5114483/more-people-debunking-jeremy-pivens-poison-sushi-excuse
Good grief as if Piven wasn't enough of a tool. Now he's exploiting a green issue for his own ends!
I don't know if he got mercury poisoning or not, but it all sounds mighty fishy to me!
I found that ingesting Liquid Zeolite removes mercury.
Liquid Zeolite?? I bet you like wearing those tampons on your feet that remove toxins from your body too.
Oh my Cod, you're right, David - very fishy. We know Piven is a shark in Hollywood. I wonder if the sushi didn't meet with Piven's eggspectations! Mahi-be he ate too fast! I wonder if he was taken immediately to a hospital sturgeon to get drugs to minnow-mise the pain! I heard the same thing happened to Nicole Squidman and Mussel Crow! I know I'd be really upset if I could no longer eat sushi - I love it with my heart and sole! I heard mercury poisoning makes your JAWS hurt! Yeah!